Charges laid in New Westminster carjacking, police say
A 27-year-old New Westminster man has been charged in connection to Wednesday's carjacking incident in the city, according to local police.
Kaeden Hnatiw is facing one count of robbery and one count of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle after allegedly stealing a taxi in New Westminster's Uptown neighbourhood.
Police started receiving calls reporting a taxi driving erratically and striking other vehicles around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Videos posted on social media showed the cab being boxed in by police vehicles at the intersection of Sixth Street and Seventh Avenue and the driver being arrested.
The incident sent pedestrians scrambling.
"People in other vehicles were screaming. People were afraid," said Anthony Smith, a witness who lives in the neighbourhood.
"Anything that got in the way, he was going to take them out," said fellow bystander Michael Phillips, who believes he played a role in the takedown of the suspect.
As police vehicles followed the taxi, Phillips told CTV News his instincts took over.
"So I said well (expletive) it. Now the guy's banging and clanging and he's right in the corner there so I said ‘I have to slow this guy down,’" said Phillips. "So I grabbed one of my unopened beers, which is a tall can—Danish beer—which I didn't want to waste."
Phillips, a former football player, then hurled the beer can in the driver’s direction.
"Right through the window, and I know it hit him," he said.
The suspect was stopped and arrested shortly after Phillips threw his beer.
A spokesperson for Royal City Taxi told CTV News on Thursday that its driver had been pulled out of his taxi and dragged a short distance as the carjacker stole the vehicle. He was taken to hospital, but has since been released and is now recovering at home.
In a statement Friday, the New Westminster Police Department said Hnatiw remains in custody.
“Thanks again to public for their patience as we understand this was a significant disruption to the neighbourhood,” said Sgt. Andrew Leaver in the statement.
“This individual was safely taken into custody thanks to the excellent work of our front line officers and we are thankful nobody was seriously injured.”
The NWPD says witnesses to the incident who need support are welcome to call its Victim Assistance Unit at 604-529-2525.
With files from CTV News Vancouver's Kevin Charach
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Trump's lawyers try to discredit testimony of prosecution's first witness in hush money trial
Donald Trump's defence team attacked the credibility Friday of the prosecution's first witness in his hush money case, seeking to discredit testimony detailing a scheme between Trump and a tabloid to bury negative stories to protect the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign.
U.S. flight attendant indicted in attempt to record teen girl in airplane bathroom
An American Airlines flight attendant was indicted Thursday after authorities said he tried to secretly record video of a 14-year-old girl using an airplane bathroom last September.
Powerful tornado tears across Nebraska, weather service warns of 'catastrophic' damage
Devastating tornadoes tore across parts of eastern Nebraska and northeast Texas Friday as a multi-day severe thunderstorm event ramped up in the central United States.